


Finding Home

by Hay389



Category: The Fosters (TV 2013)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Callie finding her way back home, Family, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Jude and Callie living with the Fosters when they were younger then taken away, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Returning Home, Runaway, Young Callie and Jude, present day Callie and Jude
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-30
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:54:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 18,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23935675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hay389/pseuds/Hay389
Summary: She could still remember being in Stef and Lena's warm and loving embrace, not a care in the world as they called her their daughter. Callie wasn't that 9 year old girl anymore, though. She was 15, and hadn't seen the Fosters in 3 years. Sure, they had once asked her if she would like to officially be apart of their family, forever. But that offer didn't still stand. Did it?
Relationships: Lena Adams Foster/Stef Adams Foster
Comments: 20
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone, and welcome to my story! I started watching The Fosters a few months back, and I loved the show so much that I finished it in about a week. I decided to do a rewatch recently and it inspired me to continue this story that was just kind of sitting around in my docs. It's an AU where Callie and Jude had actually first went to live with the Fosters when Callie was 9 years old and Jude was 5, and were there for a couple of years before being taken out of the home to go live with their biological grandmother. (Also, I decided to switch the ages up just a smidge. So Callie and Jude are now 4 years apart. So in the present day, Callie is 15 years old and Jude is 11.)
> 
> So how it will work is you'll get to read about the past, which are in italics, of the Jacob siblings first settling down with Stef and Lena as kids and learning to trust and love them over a course of a few years. Then you will also get to read the present, which is set right at the beginning of the pilot, when Callie is released from Juvie, and reunited with the family. I hope you like it, and please feel free to review. I'll be posting the first three chapters up now, although I do already have a fourth one written. I kind of want to see what everyone thinks though, and if I should make this into a whole story or not.
> 
> Sorry for any mistakes. I did proof read a few times, but I have no Beta and I really wanted to get these chapters up soon. If I find any mistakes when I go back and reread I will probably update them. Thanks again, and enjoy!
> 
> DISCLAIMER: I do not own The Fosters or any characters you recognize from the show in this story.

_2330._

_That was the first thing Callie noticed as she moved her hair out of her face. Those numbers meant nothing to her though. This house would just be added to the list of people who didn't want her or her brother. She would most likely stay a few weeks before the couple decided they couldn't handle her disobedience, as she remembered one foster mom calling it, or the shy kid who won't listen to anyone but his sister._

_Callie may only be 9 years old but she wasn't stupid, homes didn't last and neither did the families._

_"Are you ready?" Her social worker, Dan, turned around giving her a small smile which she didn't reciprocate. Callie stepped out of the car first, her younger brother Jude following behind. They interlocked hands, Callie keeping him close to her side. "They are very nice people, I think you'll like them. They already have three kids, one who is the same age as you Callie, and two a year below. Maybe you could make friends with them." Callie rolled her eyes. She didn't make friends with foster siblings, and extra kids in the house was just added trouble. It meant more kids tattling on her every move, and less food for the Jacob siblings._

_Dan approached the light brown wooden door, which Callie had to admit looked nicer than any other foster home she's lived in; and she's lived in four. The neighborhood wasn't as run down with graffiti littering every building in sight or random looking men and women standing around outside at all hours of the day. The yards up and down the street looked well kept, somehow brighter than any other neighborhood Callie has seen in her short life._

_But that meant nothing. It all depended on who was behind this door._

_A knock rang out, and the door slowly opened revealing two women. The one standing in front, grinning at her with brown eyes, had dark hair that puffed up, in a good way, curling a little past her shoulders. The one behind her had a softer smile and was quite the contrast. She had wavy blonde hair with brunette highlights, and her eyes are a mix of green and brown. "Hi there, come on in."_

_They cleared the doorway, Dan crossing the threshold. Callie hesitated, Jude hiding behind her. "It's okay Callie, you can come in. You're safe here."_

_She looked at Jude who nodded. Callie followed Dan into the living room where the women were waiting. "So, who do we have here?" Callie watched as the brunette motioned in their direction. "This is Callie and Jude, Jude and Callie, this is Stef," he said, pointing towards the blonde, "And this is Lena. These nice ladies are who you'll be staying with. Can you say hi?" Both women watched as the girl just bowed her head, not acknowledging them. "Callie here is not much of a talker when it comes to meeting new people, but I know she's glad to be here. Speaking of which, Callie I need to talk to your new foster parents alone for a minute, okay? Are you fine waiting here with Jude?"_

_Callie nodded. The three grown ups headed into the kitchen, Stef positioning herself so she could see the children through the kitchen door. "First off, thank you so much for taking this emergency placement. If I didn't find a place for them, I'm afraid Callie and Jude would've been separated and sent to different foster homes. That girl loves her brother more than anything."_

_"Can I ask why they were taken out of their last home so suddenly?" Stef asked, glancing at the children. She watched as Callie gave her brother a side hug on the couch, giving his hand a small squeeze._

_"Yes, well...I was doing my monthly check-in when I found the two locked in a closet under the stairs. Callie said it was only for a few hours, but I suspect it was probably longer than that. I came to you first because I thought it would be best if the children didn't have a foster dad in their life at the moment. Unfortunately, this isn't their first foster father to have neglected them. Now they have suffered a lot, but they are good kids. You should know they aren't very talkative. Callie is very guarded and it will take time for her to adjust, but if you gain her trust, you'll gain Jude's."_

_"And, what happened to their biological parents?" Dan hadn't really told them much about that, and Stef couldn't help but wonder._

_"Their father is in prison right now for killing their mother in a car accident. He got behind the wheel drunk. Callie had been 7 years old, and Jude 3."_

_"God, that's awful." Lena couldn't imagine what the children had been through; probably more than any adult should have to suffer. "Look, I don't mean to rush things, but I have another kid to take care off in 30 minutes across town; and if I don't go now, Callie will get too nervous and not want to stay. I think I should say goodbye." Dan headed for the children, dropping down to eye level with Jude, then glancing up at Callie who was avoiding his gaze. "Please don't leave us here." It was a whisper, which Dan had to strain his ears to hear. "You'll be okay Callie. It's only until I can find you guys a more permanent home." Dan got back up, giving a quick goodbye to Stef and Lena._

_"So," Stef kneeled down looking from Jude to Callie, "How would you guys like to see your new rooms?"_

Stef put back the photo of Callie and Jude smiling up at the camera on Jude's 8th birthday. That had been the last birthday they had celebrated with their youngest son, and for some reason, seeing the picture had brought back the memory of when Lena and her first met the kids. They were only going to stay for a couple of weeks, but instead the pair had stayed for a few years.

In two days it was supposed to mark the third year of Jude and Callie's adoption, making the Fosters a complete family. Instead, today was the anniversary of the day they were ripped away from them and sent to live with their estranged grandmother in another state. It was hard, letting them go, and it still hasn't gotten better. Time certainly doesn't heal all wounds. "You okay?" Stef turned towards Lena, giving her a small smile. "It's hard, but I'll be fine."

"I know. This day is never easy." She wrapped her arms around Stef, who smiled, glad for the comfort. "How do you think the kids will take it?"

"Not good," Lena responded. "Luckily they have school and after school activities to distract them." The couple took another minute to mourn the loss of their two kids before heading downstairs to make breakfast for their other three.

The rest of the morning went by pretty fast after that.

Breakfast went by quick, silently too which was a given. Lena gave Stef a kiss goodbye as she heads out the door, ready to drive the kids to school. Stef waves goodbye to her family, getting in her own car heading off to the police station.

Lena could practically feel the heaviness in the air as her children sat quietly looking out the window. She considered saying something, anything really to lighten the mood, but what could she say that would help ease the pain of losing not one sibling, but two. They pulled up, and Lena said goodbye, telling each of them to have a good day. She was about to open her office when her phone rang. She pressed talk not bothering to read the caller I.D. " _Hello, Lena? This is Bill."_ Lena perked up immediately. "Bill, hi. What's up?"

" _I'm sorry to call you all of a sudden, but you were the first person I could think of. I have a kid I need to place and it's kind of an emergency. It's only for a few weeks, until I can find her somewhere else."_

"Bill, I...I don't know. I would have to talk to Stef first. A lot has happened in the past couple years."

" _Please Lena, this is time sensitive. I need to know now. If not, I'll have to place her in a group home and I really don't want to do that."_ Lena sighed, her mind made up. "Okay, I'll be right there."

* * *

Lena impatiently waited in the car with her phone to her ear, listening as the rings went on and on. Eventually, just as the last 3 times she called, it went to Stef's voicemail. " _Hey, it's Stef. I'm either working or avoiding your—"_ she hung up. Leaving a voicemail wouldn't be right in this situation. A knock at the passenger door window startled Lena.

"Hi, Lena?" She shook her head yes, confused. Where was Bill? She stepped out of her car and followed the man towards the building. "Uh, where's Bill? I just spoke with him and he said he would meet me here."

"Um, yeah, Bill. One of his cases, well, a kid in one of his foster homes OD'd so he had to rush to the hospital."

"Oh my gosh, that is terrible."

"Yeah, I know. So, I take it he told you about the girl you will be fostering already?"

"Actually, he didn't. It was a pretty rushed phone call. I only know the child is a girl." David paused, shuffling some papers around in a file he was holding. "Oh Okay, well yes the child is a teenage girl. As you can see she is just getting out of Juvie. She's been having trouble with male authority figures as of late."

"Which is why Bill thought of us. And she got into a fight with her foster father, right?"

"And damaged some of his property, which is how she ended up in Juvie." Lena frowned. "Damaged his property...uh...wow. David, uh, Bill and I have known each other for a very long time and have been friends of the family ever since he placed the twins with us, but I cannot bring someone violent into my house. I've got my own kids to think about."

"No, this was just a one time thing. Listen it will only be for a few weeks." Yeah, she's heard that one before. The buzzing of the gates interrupted the conversation. Lena turned, trying to see past the high chained fences and the file that claimed whoever would walk through that door in front of her. God, things had been so rushed Lena had yet to even learn her new foster daughter's name.

As soon as the girl walked through the door though, Lena froze to her spot, tears springing to her eyes. The girl standing in front of her couldn't possibly be the same child she had cared for only a couple of years ago, especially not with the black eye and split and swollen lip. "Callie?" Lena whispered.

The girl obviously hadn't expected to see her either as her eyes widened, a small gasp escaping her mouth. They stood staring at each other for what felt like forever before Lena finally moved towards her lost daughter, tightly wrapping her arms around her as if the teenager would disappear at any second. She could feel Callie stiffen in her arms, but as the seconds went by she felt her loosen and arms wrap around her own waist.

Lena pulled back and looked at Callie, saddened at how lost and heartbroken the girl looked. "Oh my baby, what happened to you?" Callie opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by David. Lena had momentarily forgot he existed. "So I take it you two know each other." Lena nodded, wiping the wetness from her eyes. "Yes, David. I fostered Callie before. Don't worry, she's coming home with me."

"Alright then. If you two are all settled here then I have to run." Callie's head shot towards David. The sudden appearance of Lena had distracted her from asking about her brother. "Um, where's Jude? Do you know where he is?

"Uh, I don't—"

"No, I need to speak with him. Where's Bill? Why isn't Bill here?"

"Jude's her brother," intervened Lena. "Do you know where he is?" David shook his head no, shuffling through his paperwork again. "I'm sorry, I really am, but I don't know anything about your brother. You are going to have to call Bill to find that out."

"Alright, thank you David. It was nice meeting you." David nodded at Lena, walking away. He had another case he needed to attend to.

Lena smiled at Callie, still not truly believing she was standing before her. How many times had Stef and her wished for this very moment, expecting that 12 year old girl to come running through the door and hug them. That this estranged grandmother didn't truly exist and it was all just an accident.

Stef and Lena, instead, mourned their lost children, aware of the fact that they would never see them again. But here Callie stood three years later, a fact that Lena is still baffled by, no longer a child but a teenager. How had that 9 year old girl suddenly grown so much in what seemed like no time at all?

Callie stood there awkwardly and Lena could tell she didn't know what to do or how to react to seeing someone she grew close with, yet hadn't seen in the last few years. This was obviously just as surreal to Callie as it was to herself, and clearly she would need time to let this sink in. All Lena knew was she has her daughter back, and this time Callie wouldn't be going anywhere.

"C’mon, let's go home."


	2. Chapter Two

_Neither children made a response, so instead Stef stood up and motioned them towards the stairs. "Okay, why don't you follow us." Callie got up off the couch, grabbing Jude's hand. She followed them up the stairs and into the first room. "So this is where you'll be staying Jude. You are going to share with our son Jesus." Jude looked around satisfied. It was by far nicer than any of his last bedrooms._

_They left that room and entered into the one across from it, the bright pinks making Callie's skin crawl. "This is where you'll stay Callie. You will share with our daughter, Mariana. We hope you like it." Her bed was set up in the corner, the blankets a mix of white and purple. She ran her hand along the soft comforter, smiling a little. It reminded her of her old bedroom with her birth mom. "So, we figured we could let you and Jude get settled in by yourselves, give you some time to get accustomed to living here, and in the meantime we are going to make lunch for all of us. Sounds like a plan?"_

_Callie looked over to Jude who nodded. They watched the women walk out, Jude turning to callie. "I like it here. They're nice to us."_

" _It's been less than an hour, Jude, we have to be careful. It's also not permanent. We're only here until Dan finds us somewhere else to stay. Alright?"_

" _Okay."_

" _Why don't you go unpack your book bag." Jude nodded, heading out the door. Callie unzipped her own bag, taking out the one outfit she had on her and putting it in an empty drawer. She then placed her journal on the nightstand, along with her hairbrush and a tiny box that she usually kept her mom's necklace in whenever she wasn't wearing it, although that was seldom, along with a picture of Jude, their mom, and herself from when they were younger. That was all Callie owned, sad and simple._

_Lunch had surprisingly gone well, to Callie's standards. Stef made them both a ham sandwich with some carrot sticks on the side. She watched her brother eat, making sure he was okay before starting on her own. They explained a few house rules while they ate, like no leaving to play outside without telling them, or no hitting, and definitely no misbehaving in school, which they would be attending the following week. Callie just nodded like she always did, this wasn't her first time in a foster home._

_A couple hours later kids came crashing through the door, making Jude jump towards Callie. "Alright guys, there are some people we want you to meet." Lena ushered the three kids into the living room. "So this is Callie and Jude, and they will be staying with us for a little while. Callie, Jude, this is Brandon," she pointed towards the taller one of the group, not by much though. "And this is Jesus and Mariana."_

" _Uh, hi," Brandon said._

" _Where are they staying?"_

" _Well," Lena started, "Jude will be staying in your room, and Callie will be staying with Mariana."_

" _So I have to share my room?"_

" _Jesus, be nice."_

" _Well I think it will be fun. It's nice to meet you Callie. I was getting sick of being the only girl in the house. C'mon, let's go play upstairs." Mariana grabbed Callie's hand dragging her towards the stairs before the girl could protest. Stef and Lena laughed at their over excited daughter, turning back to Jesus. "Why don't you go hangout with Jude upstairs, give him a warm welcome. Huh, love?"_

" _Do I have to?"_

" _Yes Jesus, Brandon will go too, won't you?"_

" _Yeah, sure. Follow me Jude." The rest of the kids headed upstairs as well, Jude tagging behind the other two boys. "So, what do you think? Did I make the right call?"_

" _I'm not mad Lena, I just wished you would've given me more time to think about it."_

" _It's only for a few weeks anyway. Just until Dan can find them a permanent home." Stef smiled, picking up an empty mug off of the coffee table from earlier. "I know love. Just a few weeks."_

Home. What did that word even mean?

To Callie, it meant nothing.

If you asked her three years ago, well she would have told you a home is a place you live with your family, siblings, parents, grandparents, and pets alike. It is a place you feel safe and comforted no matter what, even when the rest of the world feels dark and dangerous. A home is a place you can truly be you with the people you love and no matter what life throws at you, you know you'll be okay.

That is naive Callie talking though; because today, she knows a home isn't a place full of love and comfort but, rather, a place full of heartbreak. A home is a place you grow up surrounded by people you come to love and cherish, yet in the blink of an eye can lose them all as if you hadn't spent years forming this special bond. Callie didn't need a home, not if it would cause as much pain as it did when her mother died or when she was ripped away from the Fosters. Callie learned quickly that the only thing she could consider home was her brother Jude, because despite the circumstances, she knew no matter what they would always be together.

So it felt foreign when Lena said let's go home. Callie hasn't had a home like that since, and doubts she ever will. God was she happy to see Lena, could practically feel the weight on her shoulders loosen. This woman had taken her in and cared for her, loved her, even after so many people before the Fosters told her she was worthless and wasn't a second thought to anyone. Callie came to see this woman as her mother, or mama as all the kids called her. The feeling of love was still strongly there, but Callie couldn't allow herself to become so attached again. There was no way after a year and a half of radio silence that Stef and Lena would just take her back with open arms. Even if they did, Callie couldn't just allow herself to settle back in, calling them mom and the other kids siblings, when she could be taken away from them just as easily as before.

No, Callie couldn't afford to feel that pain again. She succumbed to the fact it would always just be her and Jude against the world. That's why she ignored Lena's questions about Jude and asked if she were okay all on the car ride back to the house. Callie didn't need the sympathy, and she most certainly didn't need anyone else's help taking care of her brother; not after she had been raising him since she was practically 7 years old.

Callie would get Jude out of that house by herself, she just had to wait for the right moment to sneak away.

* * *

The morning hours ticked by faster then Callie would have liked, because while a part of her wanted to see everyone again, she was also nervous. How had everyone changed in the time she was gone? Did Mariana still love to give everyone a play by play of how her day went during dinner, exaggerating the smallest of details, or gossip about boys well knowing she wasn't allowed to date until she was at least 14 years old? Did Jesus still like to challenge Brandon to basketball games outside, knowing Brandon, somehow, one of the scrawniest kids on the planet, beat him every single time? And did Brandon still stay up past curfew to read his latest sci-fi /horror books under his covers, Callie claiming she never saw a bigger nerd then him.

These things wouldn't really matter to anyone else, maybe they would see it as just childhood memories to her, but for Callie it was those things that made her foster siblings themselves. She grew to know those certain things about them in the three years she lived with the Fosters, and now that another three years have gone by Callie no longer knew anything about the people she could once read like a book. Callie is remembering the 11 and 12 year old versions of Mariana, Jesus, and Brandon. When they walked through that door after school, it would be like meeting them over again and that was a scary thought.

Callie pushed her sandwich away from her, no longer hungry. Lena walked back into the kitchen giving Callie a small smile. "Were you able to reach her?"

"Unfortunately no, but Stef is at Brandon's piano competition right now which is probably why she isn't answering." Callie smiled. It was nice to know that that had never changed about Brandon. "On the other hand," Lena started, sitting across from Callie at the kitchen table. "The twins should be home any minute. They are going to be thrilled to see you." As if on cue, they heard the front door open and Mariana shout they were home. "I'll be right back." Lena made her way out of the kitchen and towards her younger children.

"Hi guys, did you have a good day?"

"More like boring," Jesus responded. Mariana rolled her eyes. "Everyday is boring for you. Hey, why weren't you at school today mama?" Lena grinned. "Well, I have a surprise in the kitchen. But before you go in there, just don't be overwhelming. Okay?" Mariana threw Jesus a questioning look, who shrugged in response. The two headed through the kitchen door, Mariana stopping in her tracks when she saw Callie sitting at the kitchen table. "Ow, hey why did you—" but the minute he looked over his sister's shoulder nothing else needed to be said on why she had stopped walking.

"Oh my gosh!" Mariana ran over to Callie crushing her in a hug. Callie hugged her back, pulling away when it felt more like Mariana was squeezing the life out of her. Jesus also gave Callie a quick hug, just as happy to see her. "I don't understand, how did you get here? Why are you here? Is Jude here?" Mariana spat question after question, and Callie couldn't help but chuckle. This was exactly in character for Mariana. "Okay Mariana, why don't you let Callie breathe a little. She'll answer all of your questions eventually." Mariana stood back, smiling at her lost sister. She frowned a little after finally noticing the condition of Callie's face. "What happened to your face?"

"Um…I was beaten up on my way out of Juvie this morning."

"Juvie!" the twins said in unison. "How did you end up in Juvie?" questioned Jesus. Callie looked towards Lena clearly asking for help. How was she supposed to tell them when she hadn't even told Lena yet.

"Okay guys, Callie has been through a lot today. So why don't you go get started on homework so I can talk to Callie, and then when I'm done you can have some proper time to get reacquainted. Alright?" The pair nodded, Mariana giving Callie one final hug before heading up the stairs. "Thank you," Callie said. "It was no problem. But we do need to talk. Callie, how did you end up in foster care again? I thought you were living with your grandmother."

Callie sighed. She knew she would have to fill in the blanks sooner or later. "Well, we were. After Jude and I were, uh...taken from here...Dan drove us all the way to Idaho to go live with her. Things were hard at first, I mean living with someone you never knew existed. But she wasn't all that bad. She had lots of pictures and stories of our mom. We still really missed you guys of course." Callie had to make sure Lena knew that. Jude and her never stopped loving the Fosters even after spending all that time with their grandmother. The woman hadn't been all that bad. Callie knew the old woman really loved her and Jude and even let them continue speaking with the family through letters. The only downside was they couldn't actually speak to them since the woman allowed no electronics in the house, not even a home phone. "Jude actually grew really attached to her. But, a year and a half after staying with our grandma she was diagnosed with dementia. About a month after that she had a stroke and was placed in a home."

"I'm so sorry Callie." How had these kids already been through so much in their short lives on earth. It sounded like both her and Jude grew close with their grandma, and somehow they had lost her too. "Yeah, since she could no longer take care of us they placed us back into foster care."

"There wasn't anyone else to take care of you? Like an aunt or uncle?" Callie shook her head no. "My mom was an only child. And our grandpa had passed away before my mom had died."

"Okay, so how did you end up with Bill as your social worker and how did you end up back in California?"

"I guess Bill had been in the area at the time taking care of another foster kid. Apparently that kid had also been moved from california. They notified him of us, and he took our case and became our new social worker. Since we grew up in California and had only lived like a year and a half in Idaho, he decided to take us back here with him." Lena sighed. That was a lot to process but there were still a lot of unanswered questions. "So you and Jude have been back for over a year and a half?" Callie shook her head yes. "Callie, why didn't you call us or have Bill try and get in contact?"

"I...uh." It wasn't like she didn't want to. A part of Callie had always dreamed of reuniting with the Fosters. It was just, well, months had gone by with no contact that by the time the siblings had reached California again, she thought it was too late. Why would they want to adopt two kids they hadn't seen in three years? "I just thought...I mean after so many months with no contact, after we were replaced, that it was too late." Lena softened, giving Callie a sad smile. "Sweetheart, we love you and your brother with all of our hearts. Three years didn't change anything. We think of you two every single day and how our family isn't complete."

"Then why did you stop fig—" the sudden ringing of Lena's phone interrupted the two, Stef's name displayed on the front. Lena shot Callie an apologetic look. "I can call her back."

"No it's okay, answer it. I think I'm going to go see how Mariana is doing. You know, get reacquainted."

"Sure, but this conversation will continue later. When mom...I mean Stef gets home." Lena cringed at her choice of words. It hurt that Callie no longer called them mom and mama, but had reverted back to Stef and Lena. She picked up on that after Callie had been so shocked to see her this morning.

"Uh yeah, okay." Callie responded, interrupting Lena's thoughts. She pushed her stool in at the stable and ran up the steps, leaving a worried Lena behind in her wake.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to mention that, if it wasn’t obvious, the storyline involving callie’s grandmother was taken from AJ.


	3. Chapter Three

_"And your bed is perfect in the corner, because that way we can stay up late and talk to each other even when we are supposed to be sleeping. And you can keep all of your clothes in the closet with mine, and maybe we could even share. This is going to be so fun!" 8 year old Mariana took a deep breath, having ranted for the last 5 minutes to a quiet Callie. "I know most of everything in here is mine, but now that we are sisters you can use anything you want. Except my diary of course cause that is for me only. Although Jesus doesn't seem to understand that. So, what did you bring here with you?"_

_Callie shrugged, a little embarrassed. This girl had so much, and Callie only really had 2 items. She walked Mariana over to the nightstand and showed her what was placed on it. A small box, a brush, a journal, and a photograph. Mariana picked up the photo and smiled. "Is this your birth mommy?" Callie shook her head yes. Placing the photo back down, Mariana pointed to the box. "What's in there?" Callie motioned to the gold necklace around her neck. "Oh, a necklace. It's so pretty." Callie gave the girl a small smile, before going to sit on the edge of her new bed. She held the coin-like object in between her index finger and thumb._

_Mariana tilted her head, smiling. "You don't talk much do you?" Callie looked up, but didn't respond. "That's okay, you don't have to talk. When I first got here I didn't talk either. My mommies though are really nice, and I think you'll like them. If you want, I'll do all the talking for you until you feel safe enough to do so. Deal?" Callie smiled at the younger girl, unsure of how her new foster sibling made her feel more at home than any other had. "Deal."_

The soft knock came right as she was about to start her history homework, and honestly, thank god because she really didn't feel like reading about how 2 countries had practically started a whole world war. What really was the point of history? Everyone from the 1800s was long gone, and she's pretty sure she doesn't need to know who assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand to get a job designing clothes or working as a coder for video games. "Come in." Callie entered, and Mariana threw her history homework on the end of her bed, the work now long forgotten until later that night. "Hey!"

"Uh, hi." Callie looked to where her corner of the room used to be, and much to her surprise, nothing had changed. Her bed still sat where it was placed since the day the Fosters took her in. The nightstand still held her purple lamp, and the spongebob sticker still where she had accidentally placed it on the wood when she was 11 years old; the colors not as vibrant of course, especially not after Stef scrubbed that spot repeatedly to try and remove the thing, eventually giving up. "Everything's still here." Callie sat on her bed, shocked. She would have thought after a while they would have gotten rid of her stuff.

"Well of course everything is still here," Mariana interrupted. 'We didn't just forget about you. I mean, moms wanted to at least store your stuff in the garage, but I refused to let them touch anything. I knew you would be back one day." Callie smiled at her foster sister. She missed Mariana the most out of all of her foster siblings.

Mariana had been the first one to welcome her into the family. The girl had never acted weird around her or became awkward that she didn't talk or answer questions. The young girl had stood by her side, and as promised, was her voice. If Jesus asked them if they wanted to come play basketball outside, Mariana would look at Callie and if she shook her head no, then Mariana would respond that they didn't feel like playing outside at that moment. She was well aware how annoyed the boys had gotten that Mariana no longer wanted to play with them but stick to Callie's side. To Callie though, it meant a lot, and after a few months, Callie started to talk to Mariana which made the girl thrilled, as Callie still hadn't talked to Stef or Lena yet.

After that the girls had been inseparable. They talked about anything and everything, even staying up past curfew just as Mariana had said they would. When they were on the verge of becoming teenagers, the two would gossip about cute boys and even help each other pick out outfits for school. Mariana had taken the news the hardest when she was told Callie and Jude would be going to live with their biological grandma in Idaho. "Thanks. For not giving up."

"Never. So, um, where is Jude? I mean what happened to him when you were sent to juvie?"

'Uh, he's still at the foster house we were at last before I entered Juvie."

"And how did you end up in Juvie?"

'Well, I sorta took a baseball bat to our foster dad's car." Mariana's eyes widened. "Why? What happened?"

"He caught Jude dressing up in one of his ex-wife's old dresses. He started to, uh, beat him and I couldn't stop it. So I did the only thing I could think of and started hitting his car. I didn't think I'd end up in Juvie though. I just thought it would be enough to get us pulled out of that house."

"And Jude's still there?"

"Yeah."

"Well why didn't you tell mama. She'll call mom and they will go get him out."

"Lena has to get in contact with Bill first. She tried before but he's busy at the moment."

"Callie this isn't okay. Let's go downstairs and have mama tell mom right now. We shouldn't have to wait for Bill when Jude is in danger now." Mariana got up from her bed and went for the door before being pulled back by her arm. "No Mariana, you can't. I know Jude is in danger, that's why I am going to go get him myself. I need you to cover for me, or just buy me enough time to make it at least halfway across town."

"Callie, no! It's too dangerous for you to go over there by yourself. Mom is a cop. She is trained for situations like these."

"Mariana, please," begged Callie. "Lena was only just able to get in contact with Stef which means she's busy. I have to go now. I haven' t seen jude in three months. I need to be the one who pulls him out." Mariana looked at Callie unsure. "This isn't right."

"Please." Sighing, Mariana shook her head. "Okay, we'll go."

"We?"

"Yes we. There's no way in hell I am letting you go over there alone."

'No, I can't let you come. It's too—"

'What, too dangerous. It's either I go with you now, or we wait for mom to get home. Plus, I'm sure mama already started dinner, so if she hears the front door open she's going to wonder who it is. Better to be both of us than just you."

"Okay, fine. But whatever happens, you don't step foot in that house. Understand?"

"Understood." Mariana put her running sneakers on, then slipped into her coat. Making sure she had her phone on her, the girls headed downstairs into the kitchen. "Hey mama, would it be okay if Callie and I walked around the neighborhood, you know, and talked?" Lena looked up questiongly. "And what's wrong with your room?"

"It's just, it is a really nice day today and I would rather talk outside in sunny weather than in a stuffy room. Please?"

"Okay, but be back in an hour. Mom will be home by then and she doesn't know Callie is here yet."

"We will." Mariana smiled at her mother, then led Callie out the front door. "Nicely played." Mariana smirked. "Told you you would need me."

* * *

"Who is that?" Brandon asked. He was quite aware of the fact his mother's phone hasn't stopped ringing since she met him after his audition. "Just mama. I couldn't answer before because you were playing." Stef slid into the driver's seat and pressed the green talk button. "Hello?"

_"Stef, thank god, it's about time you answered."_

"I know, sorry love. I didn't have my phone on me this morning and then Brandon was in the middle of performing when you called again. What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

_"Yes, everything is fine. I didn't mean to worry you. How was Brandon?"_

"He did amazing, as always." Brandon blushed in the passenger seat, not one to really take compliments. _"That's fantastic! I can't wait to hear all about it when you get home. How far away are you?"_

"Well we are still sitting in the parking lot, so I'd imagine at least 40 minutes. Are you sure everything is okay? You called me like 10 times today Lena."

_"Yes, everything is okay for now, I promise. Just, get home as soon as you can. I have a surprise."_

"A surprise, huh? Okay, love. We will come straight home."

_"Okay, love you guys."_

"We love you too. Bye." Brandon smiled staring out the window as Stef pulled out of the parking lot and onto the main road towards the highway. "You know, if the surprise is Mariana got the highest grade on her math test in her class again, I don't think that even counts as a surprise." Stef lauaghed. "I would agree. I know that everyone is going to be so excited though when they find out you made semi-finals."

"I guess." Stef glanced towards her son, his expression not as excited as it should be. "Hey, there's no I guess. You earned your spot and should be proud of the hard work you put forth."

"I am, mom."

"What's wrong B?"

'Nothing, I swear."

"C'mon, you're making that same face you did when you were seven and mama and I told you you couldn't get a puppy." Brandon smiled, remembering that day clearly. "Well, I guess I'm...ah, nervous. This competition was already hard as it is, and semi-finals are only going to get tougher. What if I, what if I lose? Or what if I'm not good enough to make it to finals?"

"Brandon, you are amazing. You should never worry about if you aren't good enough, because I know you are and deep down I know you know you're good enough too. I mean, out of 100 people who auditioned for that scholarship only 30 people moved forward to the semifinals, and Brandon you were one of them. Give yourself some credit, huh. All you have to do is keep working hard. And definitely don't worry about losing sweety. There are thousands of other scholarships out there for you to apply to."

"Thanks, mom." That had been exactly what the boy needed to hear.

"Anytime B."

By the time they pulled into the driveway, the sun had long set, and Stef was tired enough to call it a night at only 6:30. There was still dinner though, and apparently some surprise. "We're home!" Stef announced, following Brandon through the front door. "Hey guys," Lena greeted them. "How was it Brandon?"

"I made the semi-finals."

"That's terrific!" She leaned in, giving her oldest a hug. " We'll have to celebrate. For now, why don't you go get washed up for dinner while I talk to mom, yes."

"Mhhm." He headed towards the stairs, and Lena turned to Stef who had a curious expression on her face. "So, where is this surprise you were talking about?"

"Yeah, about that. Stef you might want to sit down for this." Stef's face grew serious, all of a sudden not liking where this conversation was headed. "Okay." They walked into the living room and Stef sat on the couch while Lena sat in the chair across from her. "This morning I got a call from Bill for an emergency placement for a teenage girl."

"Lena, please tell me you didn't." Stef knew her wife. Lena has always had a soft heart like that. Even when Stef had brought the twins home her partner couldn't help but melt at Jesus' smile or Mariana's giggles. And since they had only dealt with a boy before, having a little girl in the house had been quite a happy change.

"Stef, please listen. I said yes and—"

"Lena, we can"t foster another child, not after what happened with Callie and Jude. I can't, we won't." Stef went to get up, Lena sensing the woman was more than pissed off at her. Apparently there would be no laying the news down gently. "Stef, the girl was Callie."

Stef froze, all the air seeming to leave her lungs when she heard that. There was no possible way that Callie was currently upstairs, in their house, at this exact moment. "Lena, if this is a joke...it...this isn't funny."

"Stef, I know it seems impossible and it is a long story of how Callie ended up in California again, but I promise you she is here."

"I don't understand though, how, how is she...they are supposed to be living with their grandma in Idaho."

"Well to give you the cliff notes version, Callie said she was diagnosed with dementia about a year and a half ago and then had a stroke. The grandmother was placed in a home, which meant Callie and Jude went back into the foster system. Somehow Bill became their new social worker and brought them back down here."

"God, Lena, they were living in California for a year and a half and we didn't know about it. Why weren't we notified? Where was Dan through all of this?"

"I'm not sure, but all that matters is Callie is home." Stef frowned. Why was only Callie with them, what about Jude? "Lena, where is Jude? Why is Callie the only one here?"

"I picked her up from juvie this morning."

"Juvie!" Stef got up from the coach, now pacing around the living. "How the hell did she end up in Juvie, Lena?"

"Apparently she damaged some of her foster father's property, but I don't know the details. Callie didn't tell me. I would assume Jude is still stuck at that foster home. I've been trying to reach Bill all day but he is busy."

"Callie would never do something like that unless something bad had happened. I mean, god, that's how they ended up in our care in the first place, no foster dads for a while, remember that. We have to get Jude out of there."

"Stef, I know, but we can't just barge in without Bill and without the facts. We would need Callie to confirm with us that Jude isn't in a safe environment at the moment."

"Where is she?"

"Her and Mariana went on a walk about an hour ago. They should have been back by now. I'll give her a call." Lena dialed her daughter's number, but got a voicemail in response. She tried two more times before giving up. "Mariana isn't answering." Stef pulled out her phone, going to the find my phone app. "I thought you said they were just going for a walk?"

"That's what they said they were doing." Stef held her phone to her partner's face. "Then why the hell are they in San Ysidro right now?"

"Are they going to Tijuana? Why on earth would they go there, unless…"

"Unless what, Lena?"

"Jude. Callie had been insistent on seeing Jude this morning. She may be going to see him herself since I couldn't get in contact with Bill."

"Alright, you stay here." Shoving her phone back in her pocket, Stef was happy for once that she hadn't changed out of uniform yet. "Where are you going?"

"To get our daughters back."

"Not by yourself. I'm going with you. And we'll call Mike on the way for backup."

"Okay, lets go."


	4. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! So I was originally going to wait at least a week to post chapter 4, but I'm already halfway done with chapter 5, and by the way I've been writing I'll probably finish that within the next day or two. I obviously have the time, anyway. This is crazy what we are going through, and I hope everyone and their family is staying safe!
> 
> I'm honestly so excited to bend the storylines of the show and see what I can mesh together and make my own. Hope you enjoy this one as well as the rest. I wasn't sure about the flashback though, but I decided to keep it anyway.

"Ew!"

Mariana wiped the palm of her hand on her jeans, gagging in the process."Why is humanity so disgusting! I mean seriously, why stick your dirty chewed up piece of gum under a seat when there is a perfectly good trash can literally 3 feet away from you." Callie laughed, crossing her arms. "Why would you even touch under the seat? Have you really never been on a bus before?"

"Why take a dirty smelly bus with strangers when I have two moms with two perfectly good working cars. Remind me again why we didn't just walk?"

"Did you want to walk for 2 hours from San Diego to Tijuana? Because to be honest, I don't think your feet would have lasted. Taking the bus cut our time by half." Mariana grunted in response. "Remember, you were the one who wanted to tag along."

"That was before I knew we were getting on this...this germ infested machinery. I mean, I'm pretty sure you can catch something on here."

"Mariana!"

"What, I'm just saying. When we get off of here we are using all the hand sanitizer I have in my pocket."

"Maybe not all," Callie smirked. "After we get Jude we still have to take the bus back to San Diego." Mariana groaned, rolling her eyes. "Don't remind me. I have never hated you more than I do right now."

"Aw come on, you know you love me."

"Ugh, fine, I do love you." The girls laughed, scooting just a little closer in their seats towards one another. "You know I really did miss you Callie, like super bad. Nothing was the same when you left. I'm glad you are back. Maybe this time around moms will get to your adoption sooner that way you won't be pulled out of the house again." Callie sadly shook her head. How did this person sitting next to her have so much more hope then she did? Callie loved Mariana, but she didn't want the girl to be disappointed if Stef and Lena decided not to keep her this time around. "Mariana, look, I just got back. I wouldn't be too focused on your moms adopting me and Jude right now."

"You mean our moms."

"Yeah, right, of course. It's just, they might not want us anymore. Just don't get your hopes up if I don't stay permanently."

"Callie, that's crazy."

"Hey, this is our stop. Let's go." Mariana sighed, getting up and following Callie off the bus. This chat between them was far from over.

They walked for a few blocks, and each turn they made felt like a worse neighborhood then the last. Mariana hadn't been in streets like these since, well, since her and her brother lived with their birth mom Ana when they were about 4 years old.

After seemingly walking for maybe another 10 or 15 minutes, Callie stopped in front of a small red, rundown, house. The whole atmosphere gave Mariana the creeps. "Callie, are you sure about this? It's not still too late to call mom."

"I'm sure. I'll head towards the back and see if I can sneak in and get Jude. You wait here, okay?"

"Okay, but hurry. I don't want to be by myself for longer than I have to be." Callie nodded, givinging Mariana a final look back before heading towards the back of the house.

She spotted the back door and carefully walked over, risking a glance in. When she saw Jim, her old foster father, come into view she pulled back. Jude was at the sink filling up a container with water, no doubt for cleaning the dumb floors in this already ruined house. A knock at the front door was the last thing Callie expected to hear, but whoever it was it would be a good distraction. " _What, you deaf?"_ She could hear Jim mumble at Jude. Callie quietly slid the back door open, whispering her brother's name. "Jude!" He didn't hear her though. "Jude!" she tried again. This time he turned, his eyes lighting up upon seeing his sister. They both froze in place though when they heard who was at the door.

"Can I help you?"

"Uh, yes sir, I was uh...well I seemed to be lost and I was just wondering if you could point out where the nearest bus station is."

"You, you're lost?" The man eyed Mariana up and down which sent shivers down her back. "Yes, I've been walking around for the past 30 minutes and I have no clue where I'm going. If you can just tell me where the nearest bus is I would be…" Jim turned away looking behind him, a scowl set on his face at the sight of Callie standing near his kitchen. "Hey!" he yelled. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

"Please I just want to talk to Jude for a minute."

"No! Shut up! No!"

"Just one second—"

"No you get out of this house!"

"Okay, look. I am sorry about your car…"

"Hey, shut up!"

"Look I can pay for it—"

"No, get out of here!" Jim put his hands on Callie's shoulder and forcefully shoved her back. He did it again, and Mariana could no longer just stand there. She opened the screen door and stepped inside. "Hey, don't touch her!"

"No, get out of here," Jim yelled back. He rummaged through a drawer next to him and pulled out a gun, aiming it towards Mariana. "Hey, shut up!"

"Ok, ok I'm sorry…"

As Stef pulled up to the front of the red house, her heart dropped as she looked through the front window. "Gun!" Mike looked, turning back to the two women. "Call 911."

"Lena, stay here," Stef ordered. She pulled her gun out and undid the safety, holding it down by her waist. Nodding at Mike, he went for the front door as she headed around back. She glanced in, almost doing a double take as she saw Jude cowering in the corner of the kitchen with his hands covering his ears. Stef took a deep breath then charged in. "Police, freeze! Get down on your knees now!" It took all of Stef's power to focus on the man in front of her and not to meet Calllie's eyes when she could feel them burning a hole through her. "Whoa, whoa—"

"Get down on your knees now!"

"Put the gun down!" Mike screamed from the front. "Put the gun down!" Jim dropped his gun, and put his hands up in the air, lowering himself to the floor. "Don't shoot! Don't' shoot!" he begged.

As Mike closed in on him Stef turned her attention back to the kitchen. Callie was now standing with Jude hugging him as if this was the first time the girl had seen him in years. Stef threw her handcuffs over to Mike, and once he had the man secured, she turned her safety back on and holstered her weapon. She immediately ran to Mariana's side, since Callie and Jude were comforting each other at the moment, and hugged her daughter as tight as she could. "Are you okay, love? Are you alright? What were you thinking, Mariana?" Her daughter pulled away and wiped at a tear that ran down her face. "Mom, Callie's back home." Stef smiled. "I know love, why don't you go wait with mama outside, okay? Are you sure you're okay Mariana?"

"'I'm fine, mom." She gave her mother another hug before heading out the front door. Stef turned around and immediately made eye contact with Callie and Jude. It seemed, for a moment, the world stood still and nobody knew quite what to do or how to react, but then Jude's small voice filled the silence. "Mom?" Stef's resolve broke at that, her rushing to meet Jude halfway. The boy crashed into her, and she hugged him back just as tightly. "Yeah baby, it's mom."

Callie on the other hand hadn't moved. She wasn't expecting Stef to come barging in behind her, rescuing her from her former foster father who she had no clue owned a gun. If anyone had gotten hurt tonight, or even died, it would have been all her fault. All because she couldn't wait a couple more hours for actual help. "Callie?" Stef appeared in her line of vision, and it wasn't until she saw how blurry Stef looked that she realized she was crying. "Callie, sweetheart? Are you okay?" No she wasn't, she was far from okay.

For one night though, Callie decided it was okay to let down her walls. It was okay to not act as if she had it all put together, because after tonight it was clear she didn't. Callie crashed into Stef just as hard as Jude had, maybe even a bit harder as Stef had to balance herself out so as not to fall.

Callie cried for everything. For losing her mom so young, to being placed into foster care, and from being ripped away from the only family she could truly remember being nothing but warm and loving. "It's okay, I got you. I got you Love." Stef knew this was far from over, but she felt complete for the first time in years. She let a tear run down her own face at the fact if they had even been a minute later something more drastic could have gone down. That maybe they would have only walked out of here with two kids instead of three. At that thought, she hugged her daughter just a little tighter. Callie eventually calmed down, pulling back from the hug. "I've missed you so much Callie. You and Jude."

"We've really missed you." Stef smiled, glad to hear that. "And look at you," she nodded towards Jude. "Look how tall you've gotten"

"I'm 11 now."

"I know. It's so hard to believe." Stef pulled Jude in for a side hug, kissing the top of his head. "Why don't you two go pack your things and then meet us outside, alright?"

"Are we, are we going home with you?" Jude looked up at Stef unsure, and that broke her heart. "Of course you are buddy. There isn't anywhere else I would let you go." He smiled, and Callie took his hand and guided him towards their once shared bedroom. "Callie," Jude said, shoving a shirt into his Skippy backpack, followed by a spider-man action figure, the one toy he could ever remember owning in the foster care system. "Yes Jude."

"When we go home, do you think...do you think this time we'll get to stay?" Callie shoved her last shirt into her blue duffel, zipping it up. "I don't know bud. It has been three years since we last saw them, they might not want us anymore."

"Yeah, but what if they do? What if they still want to adopt us?"

"Why don't we cross that bridge when we get to it baby, alright?" Jude nodded, zipping his own bag up. "All done?" Callie asked. Jude nodded, slinging his backpack over his left shoulder. "Alright, let's get out of here." She grabbed his hand, thrilled that this would be the last time she would ever see this room.

When they stepped outside, Callie could spot Stef talking to Mike and Mariana next to Lena, who seemed to shy away knowing how much trouble she was in. Jude spotted Lena right away, grinning from ear to ear. "Mama!" he shouted, running towards the woman. Lena's head snapped up, and before she knew quite what was happening felt small arms wrap around her waist. She looked down and could cry in relief at the sight of Jude. "Hi bubba, I missed you."

"I missed you too mama." Callie slowly walked towards the vehicle, letting Jude have his reunion. Mariana got in the backseat of the car, and Callie was about to join her when Stef called her name. "Callie, can I speak to you for a moment." T _hat didn't sound good,_ Callie thought.

Stef led Callie to the back of the car throwing her hands up in defeat. "Come on Callie, of all the dumb things you could have done? I would really like you to understand how this, tonight, could have ended very, very badly." Callie looked away, feeling her eyes start to water. She was more than aware of how tonight could have ended. "Look, uh, you can send me back to Juvie or whatever, but...but I just really needed to get Jude out of that house as soon as I could. I needed him safe."

"Callie," Stef whispered her name, having nothing but love towards this girl who no longer seemed to care for herself or think they could care less where she ended up. Why did she think it was only her brother that mattered? "Callie, love, look at me." It took her a few seconds, but Callie eventually turned back to Stef, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Callie, you are not going back to Juvie, and I would never send you back there. But listen to me when I say you aren't disposable. You...you aren't worthless. You are just as important as Jude is and Lena and I love you so much, that if something were to happen to you, or any of you, we would be heartbroken. Do you understand? Come here." Stef pulled the girl in for a hug, wiping away a tear in the process. "Let's go home, Cal."

_Three months._

_That's how long Callie and Jude had been living with the family and still they walked around as if someone would attack them at any given time. That hurt Stef to see, because what could have happened to this 9 year old and 5 year old to make them so jumpy. She just wished they could see that they h_ ave been living _in a warm and loving environment for the past three months, and not one where they would be hit for something as small as talking._

_While it did upset Stef that neither kid was really comfortable around her or Lena yet, the situation with the other kids had been totally different._

_Jude was starting to take more notice with Jesus and his action figures, even playing with the older boy every now and again, and Callie was starting to let Mariana in. Leave it to her to be able to break down those walls. The girls now went everywhere and did everything together. If Mariana was coloring, then so was Callie. If Callie was reading a book, then there was Mariana right next to her, her own book in hand. This was a sign that Callie was starting to open up to the family, and given a little more time, they would have the children's trust completely._

_It was about two months after that, on a Saturday morning, much to both her and Lena's surprise, that Callie spoke for the first time directly to them. Stef was piling pancakes on everyone's plate, giving Jesus an extra one with his growing appetite, as Lena was setting cups of orange juice down. Once everyone was settled the two moms took their seats. "Alright guys, I have to run to the store to pick up dinner tonight, so I expect you to be on your best behaviors for mama. That means you, Jesus." Stef smiled as her son pouted. "I'm always good mommy."_

" _Sure you are." Stef chuckled, picking up her glass of orange juice and taking a sip. "Can I go with you?" Stef practically choked on the liquid, setting her glass back down. All eyes went to Callie, who immediately started to back track her question, nervous she had said something wrong. "Uh, nevermind. Im sorry—"_

" _No, no it's okay sweetheart. Yes, of course you can come. I'd actually really love the company." Stef gave her a warm smile, which Callie returned. Everyone began eating again, while Stef turned to Lena, the two grinning at each other. After everyone was finished eating, Stef helped Lena clear and clean the plates, then waited for Callie by the front door. The girl bounced down the steps, smiling up at Stef. "Ready to go?"_

" _Yup." Before she could open the door though, another set of feet came bounding down the stairs. "Wait for me!" Mariana screamed._

" _Oh, I wasn't aware that you wanted to join us as well." said Stef, surprised to see Mariana. Her daughter hated trips to the grocery store, in fact, Callie had been the first kid in this house to ever voluntarily go with her. "I mean, I don't really wanna go, but Callie needs me. So I'm going." Stef looked from Callie to Mariana. "Sweetheart, Callie will be fine. If you don't want to come you don't have to."_

" _But...but—" Callie cut her foster sister . "It's okay Mariana. I'll be fine. And I kind of want to go alone. Maybe, maybe you could look after Jude for me while I'm gone?" Mariana's eyes lit up at the important job given to her, knowing Callie was the only person who looked after Jude—well, besides her moms. "Okay, I can do that." She hugged Callie goodbye then ran back up the stairs._

_It was at that moment Stef realized this was Callie testing them. If she could leave the house by herself and come back safe, at the same time seeing Jude has been taken care of and not hurt, then that meant the girl could trust this family. "Alrighty then, let's go."_

_Stef opened the backdoor for Callie, allowing her to slide in before closing it and heading around to the driver's side. Once she made sure Callie was buckled up, she buckled her own seat belt and pulled out of the driveway, heading towards the store. For the most part, the ride was silent. Stef didn't mind though. If Callie was in her backseat, asking Stef if she could go with her, then that was a win all in itself. "Can I ask you something?" Callie's small voice floated to the front out of nowhere. Stef glanced back at her, then back towards the road, stopping at a red light. "Sure sweets."_

" _Why are you so nice?" Stef sighed, almost wanting to cry at the fact this little girl couldn't believe nice people existed. At the green light, Stef moved forward, pulling the car into an outlet parking lot. She undid her seatbelt and turned back towards the girl, hazel eyes meeting brown. "Sweetheart, there are some very mean people who live on this planet."_

" _Like the people you put away?" she asked._

" _Yes, exactly like the people I put away. The foster families you lived with before, love, were not nice people and didn't deserve to be parents."_

" _Then why...why did me and Jude end up with them?"_

" _I don't know. People make mistakes and that was one of them. Parents should be kind and loving towards their children. They should play with them, feed them, and clothe them. A parent helps their child grow, they don't knock them down. I need you to know Callie, that the most important thing right now, is that you are safe with Lena and I. We love you and your brother very much, and we would never do anything to hurt you or make you feel unsafe." Callie smiled at that, nodding her head. "I know, we trust you."_

_Looking back years from now, Stef would know it was at that point in time, even though they hadn't asked them until 2 and a half years later, that Callie and Jude belonged with them forever._


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, wow does time fly! I want to apologize for being silent since April. I have a lot on my plate right now, mainly school. I just started college for the first time this past fall, and let me tell you it is a crazy adjustment from high school. It has been hard keeping track of the work I need to do for my classes let alone find time to write for my stories. Now this chapter I actually had written for quite some time and hadn't posted it because I was focused on getting prepared to leave for school as well as I was kind of lazy and didn't feel like editing the chapter after I had written it, so again sorry. I do have half of next chapter written which is a plus, but I can't promise you guys a specific time and date it will be posted, as well as future updates. On top of that, I also find the problem that when I start jumping from show to show I end up getting inspired to write for those instead, leaving my past stories on the shelves for a bit. Right now my interests currently lay with the shows Ghost Whisperer and 9-1-1, which of course both have the amazing Jennifer Love Hewitt. If you haven't watched either of these shows I highly recommend both. Anyways, I just want to thank everyone who left a comment. It makes me so happy to know that everyone is enjoying the story so far.
> 
> Castlejune: I'm glad you like the altered dynamics, as I highly enjoy writing them. That is what I love most about writing this story so much, is being able to take storylines in the show and seeing how I can flip them and or make some my own.
> 
> Guest: I'm super sorry if I hadn't made this clear to you and every person reading this, but don't worry, there will be no romantic relationship with Brandon and Callie in this story. Sorry to those who do like Brandon and Callie together, but that is just something I personally didn't like about the show, especially when they kept dragging it on. I strictly see Brandon and Callie as siblings and best friends, that is it. So yeah, just for future warning, whenever there is a Callie and Brandon scene, which there is down below, the love he feels is brotherly and for her sisterly, don't look into that too deeply.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own The Fosters or any characters you recognize.

Callie found she couldn't really sleep that night, not that any other night is completely different, but she had this nagging feeling to go check on her brother. After spending almost two years making sure he was always safe and away from their foster parents' view, she wasn't used to being in separate rooms again. There was also the fact that Callie has had so many restless nights these past three months wondering if the next time she saw her brother would he be alive or in the ground; or if he would even be in the same foster home she had left him at.

Then to top of these last few months, there were yesterday's events.

Callie is sure seeing a gun waved around carelessly in front of your face wouldn't be a great memory, not that Jude hasn't already seen things that would probably haunt him for the rest of his life. It's different though, being smacked around and having a piece of metal waving around in your face that could end your existence in a heartbeat. It just wasn't something any 11 year old should have to go through, any person really, but Callie couldn't shake the imagine of Jude standing in that kitchen with her, his hands cupping his ears as his body trembled in her arms, neither of them sure how the next few seconds were going to unfold.

Not being able to wait any longer, Callie pulled back her covers and quietly tiptoed towards the bedroom door and slowly opened it. For a moment Callie cringes at herself, watching as Mariana tosses in her bed from the sudden creak of the door. The teen was still sound asleep though, and Callie couldn't help but smile that a door of all things could disturb Mariana's rest, yet she could sleep through her alarm clock and both of her moms yelling at her that it was time to get up.

Gently closing the door behind her, Callie heads towards her brother's room and peeks in through the small crack the door was left open. Jude is fast asleep on his bed, his tiny arm dangling off the side of the mattress. He looks rather peaceful considering everything that has happened these past couple months—years even.

Callie knows Jude though.

The only reason he is sleeping so soundly tonight is because he knows they are safe. Even if they don't have that forever Callie is glad Jude can relax for a moment and actually be an 11 year old boy.

Seeing her brother sleeping peacefully lifts some weight off the brunette's shoulders, but even so Callie isn't quite ready to head back to bed. She was well aware of what awaited her there. So Callie makes a quick decision and walks downstairs and into the kitchen.

The kitchen is almost pitch black except for the small beams of moonlight that spill through the windows above the sink. Her right hand hovers above the lightswitch but decides against it. Callie didn't want to risk waking up Stef or Lena by turning the light on, so instead she allows the moon to be the only light in the room, and takes a seat at the kitchen island resting her head in her arms.

This past day and a half has been crazier than Callie could have ever dreamed, and after all these hours her head feels somewhat clearer and her mind feels like it can finally process her recent actions.

For one, she hadn't expected Lena to be waiting outside the gates for her and then bring her here. How was it that one minute she was on the floor getting the life beaten out of her for sticking up for herself, and the next she was standing in her former foster dad's kitchen as he waved a gun around as if it were some toy. When the hell had he even gotten a gun?

Has Jim always owned one?

Callie knows one thing for sure though, Jim didn't need a gun to hurt someone when he did just well with his fists. If Stef hadn't found the trio Callie is sure one of the three siblings would be rolled out in a body bag, because Pearson had been that crazy. He wouldn't have cared either—Callie could still hear his voice even after all this time, "No one would care what happened to you, you're a foster kid. You don't have anyone." She knew that wasn't totally true though, although she would be lying if she said it didn't bother her just a little. She knew she had Jude though, Jude would care. And to be honest, Jude is all she needs, just as well as he needs her.

Which is why Callie felt extremely guilty for ending up in Juvie in the first place, because that meant Jude had to spend an extra three months living with that abusive man alone. While she had only lived there for three months herself with him, Callie knew just how much danger her brother was in. Hell, she could still practically feel the man's hand gripping her right arm tight enough to leave his handprint for weeks, or the bruise she had received on her thigh when Jim got so angry he threw a plate at her.

And now, to top everything off, she had taken Mariana to go get Jude out of that house. What the hell had she been thinking? Callie knew how dangerous her former foster father had been and she had led her foster sibling into the line of a gun. What if Mariana had been shot? What if she had died?

While Callie didn't for one second regret going straight for Jude, she did regret going with the plan she had. She should have just told Lena in the car on the way back to the house or let Mariana call Stef, who she doesn't doubt would have dropped everything to go rescue Jude the minute she received the call. But then there was still Brandon, and why did he have to suffer because of an abusive middle aged man he had never met before.

Why does she keep making these stupid mistakes? Why couldn't she seem to stop bringing trouble to people around her wherever she went?

"Couldn't sleep?" Callie's head shot up in the now lit up kitchen, Brandon standing at the doorway. "Oh, uh, hey. What are you doing up?"

"Thirsty. If you were down here why didn't you turn on the lights?" Brandon made his way over to the cabinet that held their cups and snatched a glass off the shelf, filling it up halfway from the tap. He took a sip then sat down next to Callie. "I didn't want to wake anyone up."

"Oh." A long silence settled between them and Brandon took a few more sips of his water. "Are you okay? You know, after what happened earlier. We really didn't talk that much after you got back." Callie gave him a small smile, resting her cheek on her left hand. "Yeah, I'm fine. I've seen a lot worse, but I um...I'm really sorry I took Mariana with me. I knew how dangerous that man was and...she could have….you know...gotten really hurt."

"That's not what I heard. Mariana said she wanted to go with you." Callie looked at Brandon shaking her head. "Yeah, but I shouldn't have let her go with me. I should have made her stay here and went by myself."

"Callie, we both know once Mariana makes her mind up there's no going back. She wanted to help Jude get out of that house as much as you did, and to be honest if it were me I would have gone with you too."

"I wouldn't have let you."

"Just like you didn't let Mariana? Look, what you guys did was extremely dangerous and yes there could have been a worse outcome, but did you force Mariana to get on that bus?"

"No."

"And did you bring Mariana into that guy's house with you?" Callie rubbed the sides of her head not wanting to think of another version of herself allowing Mariana to step foot into that home. "God, of course not. I told her that no matter what happened she was to stay outside and in the front yard. I can't believe she knocked on his door after I told her what he did to Jude."

"See," Brandon said. "Mariana chose to get on that bus, she chose to knock on that man's door, and she chose to step into that house. You can't beat yourself up for something that was out of your control." Callie shot him a sad smile, her eyes watering. "It just isn't that simple."

Brandon could sense Callie wasn't really up for discussing this topic farther, so he dumped the rest of his water down the sink and rinsed the glass out putting it back where it belonged. "You know I'm sure you heard this a lot today, but I just want you to know that I really missed you Callie."

He gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before flicking the kitchen light back off, leaving Callie where he had first found her.

* * *

Callie opened her eyes, for a moment, confused where she was. "Hey love, good morning." Callie stretched, realizing she was still in the kitchen sitting at the table island they always ate at. She must have fallen asleep at the table a little after Brandon had left. "Mmm...good morning," she replied to Stef. The woman stood next to her in her police uniform looking worried. "You okay? Why were you asleep at the kitchen table?"

"I couldn't sleep last night so I came downstairs. I guess I fell asleep at the table." Stef watched as Callie rubbed the sleep out of her eyes, well aware that the girl hadn't answered her first question. "Well alright. Since you're awake why don't you go get dressed and join us for breakfast. Everyone else is already up and should be down soon."

"Yeah, sure." Callie headed for the stairs greeting Lena as the woman came strolling down past her. Lena made her way into the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee, leaning against the counter as Stef flipped a pancake in a pan on the stove. "So I found Callie asleep this morning at the table. It took calling her name 5 times to get her up."

"Why was she sleeping downstairs?" Lena asked, blowing on her coffee and taking a small sip. "She said she couldn't sleep, but I'm worried." Lena placed her cup down and patted Stef's back before going to the fridge and taking out the carton of orange juice. "Callie has had it rough these past couple months, and last night probably didn't help either. I think we just need to give her time to readjust to living here."

"And that's the problem." Stef sighed, scooping the cooked pancake out of the pan and placing it with the others on a large plate. "Callie shouldn't have to get used to readjusting to living here because she is our daughter and this is her home. She lived here for three years. We spent all that time trying to make sure she felt loved and safe and even getting her to trust us. She spends a year and a half in the foster care system and suddenly three years of hard work goes down the drain. She doesn't even see us as her parents anymore, Lena. Last night after we brought her home I asked if she needed something and she said I'm okay Stef. Not once have I ever hated being called Stef by someone until yesterday."

Lena sighed, pulling Stef in for a hug. "I understand that. On the drive back to the house the other day it hit me too, that she called me Lena instead of mama. But, Stef, you should have seen Callie's face when I saw her walk through those gates. When she saw me it was like, like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. It is going to take some time for her to readjust, but for everyone else in the house as well. Callie is 15 now, not the 12 year old girl we last knew. The most important thing to look at at this moment is we have her back with us, we have both Callie and Jude back safe and sound. Right now all we can do is focus on moving forward with them."

"I know, you're right. I'm just glad Jude is the same." Lena smiled, "Almost like he never left."

At that moment, Jude came walking into the kitchen, a smile on his own face as he noticed his two mothers. Stef and Lena couldn't help but share a look filled with love for their youngest child. "Hey there buddy," Stef greeted him. "How did you sleep last night?"

"Great. I like sleeping with Jesus again, I missed him as a roommate." Lena laughed, thinking how Jesus, even as much as he missed Jude, loved having his personal space. "I'm sure he loves having you back too, bubba." Stef scooped a few pancakes onto his plate while Jude poured himself a glass of orange juice.

The rest of the children came venturing in about a minute later, everyone sitting down in their normal spots. The plate full of pancakes was passed around, Jesus taking a few more than he probably should have, as Mariana complained about getting the last of the orange juice and how there was barely any left for her. Again.

Brandon grinned, while Jesus told her she should try to focus on being the first one downstairs one day instead of focusing on how perfect her hair looked when she walked out the front door. Mariana rolled her eyes and chose to ignore his comment, instead taking a bite from her pancake.

They all ate in silence for a few minutes before Mariana eventually broke it, not being able to contain her excitement any longer. "So is nobody else going to acknowledge the fact that, for the first time in three years, we are sitting down and eating breakfast as a whole family?!"

The rest of the family seemed to slowly come to the same realization as Mariana, as each set of eyes looked up and around the table.

This technically is their first complete family meal in three years, isn't it?

"Mariana is right." Lena set her cup of orange juice down and cupped her hands together. "This is a special occasion. I think tonight we should have a special dinner, Callie and Jude's pick. What do you guys say?"

Callie and Jude looked at each other, Callie already knowing what her brother really wanted. "I'm fine with whatever Jude wants."

Jude's eyes lit up. "Tacos!" he practically shouted. The mothers laughed at the excited young boy, somehow knowing that would be his option. Stef is sure if it were up to Jude the family would be eating tacos every day for dinner. Tacos became his favorite meal when he was 7 years old and apparently it hadn't changed.

"Well, Tacos it is," Lena announced. The rest of the siblings seemed satisfied with that answer, and about a minute later Mariana started talking about this new boy who just enrolled at anchor beach, Chase, and how he was already a part of the theater crowd—which according to Mariana, a hard crowd to be apart of since no one really understood the value of acting.

Callie wasn't really listening though, but rather looking at the people who sat all around her. She never thought she would get this back. It was comfortable, and just the thought of being able to sit back and possibly get to be a 15 year old girl, a teenager, and nothing else seemed amazing; no longer would Callie have to be a mother, or a caregiver, and certainly not a bodyguard.

Maybe Callie had been over dramatic yesterday, maybe the Fosters really did still want the Jacob siblings, and maybe things won't be so bad after all.

_Things were bad, so very bad._

_Callie felt as if she were drowning, like no matter how hard she tried she just couldn't get enough air in her lungs—and Callie wasn't new to that feeling either._

_Twice Callie had come close to drowning in her life._

_The first time was when she was 2 years old. Her grandmother on her dad's side had been watching over her one day while her parents were working. Callie was playing outside by the pool near the shallow end at the stairs with her water toys, when her grandma stepped inside to answer the phone. The woman had only been gone for maybe less than a minute, but came back to find Callie flailing in the water attempting to keep herself afloat. She dived in and pulled her out, but Callie had not been in the water long so no real harm was done._

_Her grandmother stopped coming around after that, and not long after apparently had passed away according to what her father had told her._

_The second time Callie came close to drowning, she actually did. She was 4 years old when her mom and dad took a chance and bought a house with a pool. They had always been cautious after the first incident, but figuring she was old enough, and after many swimming lessons, knew how to float on her back just in case anything were to happen, it would make for the perfect home._

_Jude had only been a couple of months old at the time and despite his cool and calm nature during the day, he cried all through the night. It used to keep her parents awake for hours which meant they barely got any sleep, and her mom would take a small cat nap whenever Callie took her nap during the day._

_It was around the time Callie was supposed to take a nap that Callie, in fact, found her mother fast asleep on the couch—probably dozing off after another sleepless night._

_Being a curious 4 year old and loving the outdoors, she slid open the backdoor that led straight to the pool. Callie started running around the pool, pretending she was a pirate and the pool was instead an ocean, when she accidentally slipped on the tiles hitting her head and falling into the deep end of the pool. Despite knowing how to float on her back she panicked having just hit her head and flailed for help just as she did when she was 2._

_The next thing Callie knew she was in an ambulance on her way to the hospital. Apparently her mom found her floating in the pool after waking up and hearing the pool alarm go off._

_It took Callie about two years to go swimming again._

_Callie knew exactly what it felt like to drown, and while she had been very young, that feeling of helplessness had never gone away. It's like sometimes she still feels like that 4 year old girl attempting to breathe, but only receives lungs full of water instead._

_And that's exactly how she felt now._

_She was once again in a pool, or maybe it was the ocean with how far the water seemed to stretch, flailing to stay afloat. It seemed strange that she was struggling to swim, when she had learned years ago, when her mother was still alive, how to swim. But at this moment, it was like her brain and body were two different things. No matter how hard Callie tried to remember how to_ move her arms and legs to help her head stay above water, she just couldn't.

_With one final gasp for air, water poured into her mouth and involuntarily invaded her throat. She choked on it, slowly sinking farther and farther in the rest of the water around her. The farther she went the darker it got. All she wanted was her mom, but that wasn't an option when Callie had no clue where she is and was probably about to die. Her eyes started to flutter shut, and right when Callie thought that was it, she gasped awake, her arms and legs kicking at something solid on her bed._

_"Callie sweets, it's just me. It's mom. You're okay, it's okay." Stef turned on Callie's lamp, both enveloped in a soft yellow light. She can't help but stare at her 11 year old daughter worried—Callie hadn't had a nightmare this bad in months._

_Callie on the other hand stopped thrashing around after hearing her mother's voice, but was still sobbing significantly. How many more times in her life would she have to endure the feeling of what it felt to slowly die by the hands of water?_

_"M...mom?" Callie knows it's her, knows Stef is sitting right in front of her and rubbing small circles on her left hand, but she has to ask just to make sure she isn't still dreaming. "Yeah, baby," Stef replies. "It's me. And everything is okay, you were just having a nightmare."_

_It didn't feel like a nightmare, and how could it when she had experienced it for real before. It did seem a little silly that she was holding onto the memory of her drowning when she was 4, because honestly she couldn't remember everything as she did die and was brought back to life. Callie knows while that's where her small fear of swimming had rooted itself in her brain, it was actually the camping trip the family just took that triggered the dream._

_As if on cue, her mom spoke up. "Do you want to talk about it?" She pulled Callie in for a hug and kept her there. "Not really."_

_"Are you sure? It might make you feel better." Callie wasn't so sure about that. It might make her feel worse because someone else would be walking around knowing she was afraid of something as silly as water above all things._

_But this is her mother. Stef would never hurt her own daughter intentionally._

_"I...I was drowning. I couldn't b...brea...breathe." She could feel the tears spring back to her eyes and tried her best at keeping them in. If she started sobbing again there would be no way this dream would be talked out. "I forgot how to swim...and I, I could feel the water…" there was nothing else to be told really. She's sure Stef understood what she meant._

_"Oh, love. I'm sorry, but remember it was just a nightmare. We wouldn't let anything like that happen to you." Stef ran her fingers through Callie's hair, pulling Callie in for a side hug with her right arm._

_"You can't promise that." Stef looked down at her daughter slightly confused. "What?"_

_"You can't p...promise me you can k...keep me safe." Stef sighed, this dream had done a real number tonight. "You're right, I can't promise to keep you safe from every danger of this world, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to try."_

_Callie knew that, which is why she loves Stef and Lena so much, because no matter what they are willing to go through hell and back for their children._

_That was exactly what Callie needed to hear to keep her fears at bay and after a few minutes of silence she completely calmed down. Stef was about to suggest they both get some sleep when Callie's young voice filled the air, her voice so quiet that Stef was sure Callie would leave the subject alone if her mother hadn't heard her the first time. "I drowned twice before."_

_"Wha...what?" Stef didn't like the sound of that. She didn't want to ever picture a young Callie being helpless to keep herself afloat. "The reason I had that reaction at the lake today wasn't because I fell into the water when I was 2, I had been really lucky then. When I was 4 years old I slipped into the deep end of my parent's pool. I knew how to float on my back to the shallow end so I could get out of the water if anything like that had ever happened again to me, but when I slipped...I fell and hit my head and panicked. The paramedics brought me back to life in the ambulance…at least that's what my mom had said. I can't really remember much, but that's why I hesitated when everyone wanted to go swimming for the first time, and that's why I panicked when Jesus shoved my head under the water. I just don't know why I can't get over it, it's so stupid. I was 4 years old when it happened."_

_"Hey, don't you say that." Stef gently titled Callie's chin up, forcing her daughter to look at her face. "Being afraid of something isn't stupid, no matter when it happened. Being scared doesn't show weakness Callie, it shows great strength. Not many people are able to voice their fears like you just did, and I'm so glad you shared this with me, love. Sharing things like this means it takes a weight off your shoulders, and you never have to venture anywhere like that alone again. That's why we have people we love. They are always there to reassure us during the tough times."_

_Callie could barely form the words of gratitude toward this woman. She never thought she'd have a mom again in her life, let alone two, who would fight for her and protect her just as much her birth mom had. Stef never failed to amaze Callie and somehow found everyday she loved this woman more and more. "Thanks mom." Callie leapt into the blonde's arms, not wasting a second to show her mother how much she meant to her in this moment. "I love you, so so much. Both you and mama."_

_"And we love you sweets, more than you'll ever know."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So i'm going to be honest, I, again, was kind of unsure about the flashback I wrote here. It was definitely an in the moment thing which I thought would be fun to connect to a later flashback. I like it and I kind of don't, but hey, we are just going to roll with it and see where it leads us. Please tell me what you thought. Also, sorry for any grammar mistakes you may have just read and totally bugged you. I am literally editing this at 6:30 in the morning. I hope everything actually made sense, lol. Until next update my friends!


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates, but not only have I been majorly busy with my first year of college, but my mind has just been other places recently. I’m really into the show 9-1-1 right now and have been writing for that, or Ghost Whisperer, and it seems the inspiration for this story has kind of fizzled out. I’m going to attempt to watch a little bit of the Fosters though in my free time to try and get me reinspired. I know where the story is heading though at least, so that’s good. I hope you enjoy this chapter, although I felt like something was just...off or missing. I don’t know if it was the writing or storyline...I just don’t know. Like it’s weird that I know where it’s heading, but I think maybe how I wrote it felt off. Anyways, hope you like it. And I just want to say THANK YOU for all the support. I’m so glad everyone is enjoying the story so much. I never thought I’d have as many followers as I do.

Callie was able to rest for two full days, not having to fret over anything but just being the 15 year old that she is—she didn’t have to worry if Jude was safe, or hungry, or constantly feeling the blows of their foster parents. 

Actually, Callie got to sit down and watch a movie with her brother for the first time in months, Monsters Inc., which had always been one of Jude’s favorite Pixar movies to watch. Meanwhile Callie herself started to read a random sci-fi book she saw sitting on Brandon’s bookcase that looked somewhat interesting for the time being; and was even playing, if you could call it that, Brandon’s old guitar that he never used anymore. That was probably the biggest surprise so far since she stepped foot back in this house—Callie could still remember 10 year old Brandon’s face light up when he pulled that orange guitar out of the large box that Christmas morning. 

A loud knock from outside the door filled the room making Callie pause. Everyone should have been at work or school and Jude certainly would have just barged right in. “Come in!” 

Stef entered the room, a soft smile on her face. Callie sat up from the resting position she was in while reading her book, and marked her page number with a loose piece of paper before placing the novel on her nightstand. “Hey love, sorry to interrupt.”

“It’s okay. What are you doing home?”

“Well mama and I saw this as a good opportunity to talk to Jude and you since we were both free during our lunch break, and there is something we can’t hold in any longer. C’mon, mama and Jude are downstairs in the living room.”

For some reason Callie didn’t like the sound of that. Sure it was just talking, probably regarding something small, but in previous experiences when a foster parent wanted to talk it always ended with a social worker knocking on the front door to collect them. Callie has actually been waiting for this talk for the past couple of days they have been here. Nothing was clear on whether Jude and her would be staying, which they most likely would be, but there’s still some doubt creeping around in Callie’s mind that the Fosters simply changed their mind about adding two kids to the family. Callie was older after all, would that change anything? 

They might think she’s harder to handle with the baggage she comes with from these past three years, less predictable than the young girl they remember. They already had 3 teenagers in the house, do they really want to add two more to their plate? Callie tried to shake the negative stream of thoughts for now and sat down on the couch next to her brother across from Lena and Stef. Jude gave her a side hug which made her smile.

“So,” Stef started, side-eying Lena. “We obviously have a few things to discuss today, especially with you staying here. Mama and I have something to ask the both of you, and we obviously discussed this with the other kids…”

“Although a discussion didn’t need to be had,” Lena added. She looked at her partner with a small smile nodding at Stef to give the news; just like she had the first time around.

“We know it’s been three years since you’ve lived with us, almost 2 since we had any contact, but you two were always our kids, and we hope you feel the same way about us as your moms. Now we know you’ll need time to adjust, but mama and I need you to know nothing has changed since you left us. We still want to adopt both of you, that is if you still want to be a part of this family.”

“I, uh…” Callie didn’t know why to say. Was this even real? 

It was almost impossible to find a good foster parent who wanted to adopt a teenager, especially if they had siblings. Most didn’t want one kid, so why would they want two? But to be asked if she wanted to be adopted, if she wanted to be a part of the Fosters twice in her life felt like a dream. 

They still wanted her, still wanted them, even after being taken away for so long. Callie has never seen foster parents love a child so much as if they were really, biologically, there’s. And that’s what it felt like to Callie. It truly felt like Lena and Stef are her mother’s—that’s why it hurt all those years ago to suddenly be uprooted with barely enough time to process Jude and her were actually leaving the Fosters forever. And it also still hurts because she really does want to be a part of this family more than anything. Has longed for this exact moment ever since she was 7 years old and was sat down on her bed, a woman she never met before trying to explain why her mom was gone and what her father did. 

“So, what do you say?” Lena asked. Jude looked over to Callie and grinned from ear to ear. “Yes!” he shouted, and Callie had to beam at Jude’s excitement. He deserved a family that consisted of more than just a sister. And this family gave him just that, and knowing her brother and her would be safe and taken care of, well that is the biggest weight lifted off her shoulders. “Yeah,” She finally replied, smiling at the two woman before her. Stef and Lena shrieked in excitement, and pulled each child in for a hug. 

After all, it isn’t everyday you’re asked if you want to be adopted. 

* * *

Jesus sighed running his hand through his brown wavy hair, and checked his watch one more time. It read 5:30 PM. He knew he could only wait 15 more minutes before he needed to walk back to the library where both his moms currently think he is.

Going to the library hadn’t been a total lie, though. He knew when mama had dropped him off that she would check on him at least 30 minutes in on the find my phone app, so he hung around the library for about 45 minutes working on his english paper before exiting and entering the coffee shop down the street. 

It stung a little, knowing he was about to be stood up. So he took the last sip of his tea, because if he was caught having coffee, mainly his ADHD giving him away, he would be in big trouble—although with what he has been up to the past couple weeks at school, he’s sure he will be in trouble anyway if his moms find out.

Standing up from his table, he tossed his empty tea cup in the trash can and headed for the exit. The shop’s door opened, a little bell at the top signaling someone entering, and Jesus came face to face with the person he was supposed to meet 30 minutes ago. “Jesus?” Her eyes were wide, face in disbelief. Seeing a picture and seeing the real deal, in-person, were two completely different things.

“Mom?”

Ana smiled at her son. “I can’t believe how big you’ve grown, and so handsome.” Jesus rubbed the back of his head unsure of how to respond to that. “I’m sorry I’m late. I missed the first bus I was supposed to take here.”

“Look, I waited for over 30 minutes for you but my mama...Lena, is coming to pick me up in 15 minutes and I have to be back at the library before then. We, uh, we’ll have to reschedule.”

“No! Wait, just 5 minutes. I know I have no right to ask for that, but 5 minutes...please.”

5 minutes wouldn’t hurt he supposed. Jesus nodded in agreement then led them back to where he was originally sitting.

“So, I found this.” Ana pulled out some form of paper from her pocket and unfolded it. It was a picture of her, him, and Mariana, and they had to have been 3 or 4 years old in it. Mariana was wearing one of their mom’s t-shirts which she of course was swimming in, and held a hairbrush in her right hand pretending the handle was a microphone. Jesus and Ana sat on the couch, close together, big smiles adorning both their faces. “Good times, right?” No, not really, Jesus wanted to say. He kept his mouth shut anyway. “Keep it,” she said, pushing the picture towards him. He took it not wanting to mess around any longer. 

“Look I brought the money.” Jesus digs into his jacket and pulls out a small bundle of cash. “It’s all I have but I hope it helps...you know, to get you back on your feet.” Ana grabbed the cash from him with tears in her eyes. “It helps, it helps more than you know.”

“Okay, good.”

“So I guess you gotta go then, huh? Your mom is coming soon?”

“Uh, yeah. Yeah she is.”

“Okay...okay then.” Ana gave him one last smile before getting up and leaving the coffee house, leaving Jesus feeling like a total fool.

He should’ve known that was all she wanted. 

* * *

“It will be fun, I promise!” 

“I don’t think so.” Callie laughed, shaking her head at Mariana. She focused on the task at hand, with her washing the last dish in the sink and passing it over to Mariana who was drying them. It now made sense why Mariana of all people would volunteer to do the dishes, dragging a puzzled Callie right beside her.

“Come on it's not like you don’t know the guy. I know you two so would’ve ended up together if you hadn’t left.”

“Mariana we were close friends, I never saw him as anything else.”

“Oh please, I saw the way he looked at you Callie. And now this is your chance to finally meet back up with him after all these years, and with everyone else you left behind. Think of it as a small before school get together.”

“But it’s not.” Callie dried her hands with a paper towel and tossed it in the garbage, placing the last dish back on its shelf. “I can’t go to a party, Mariana. I'm on probation, remember?” 

“Yeah but it’s not like you have a specific time you need to be at the house by. We would only be gone for a couple of hours anyway. Come on, please?” Callie sighed, giving up. She knew Mariana wouldn’t stop begging her. “Fine, but I don’t think Stef and Lena are going to approve. Especially with me going.”

“It’s okay, leave it to me. Come on.” Both girls headed upstairs towards the moms bedroom knocking on the door. “Come in.”

“Hey girls, what’s up?” Lena and Stef smiled at their daughters and continued to fold the laundry they spread out over the bed, placing the neat folded pieces into the plastic bins beside them. “Well, remember that get together I asked you about earlier this week?”

“Yeah, and we told you no because we didn’t want you going alone.” Stef stopped folding for a second to look over at Mariana already knowing where this conversation was headed. “Yes, but I figured now that Callie is here she could come with me so I don’t have to be alone.”

“Mariana, no.”

“Oh please, it’s not like you don’t know where I’m going. We will only be gone a few hours and it also gives Callie time to get reacquainted with a couple of old friends.”

“Callie is on probation love.”

“But it’s not like the both of us are going to be doing anything illegal, it’s just a couple of friends meeting up. I mean come on you know the host, Callie used to be best friends with him. Plus, it’s at his parents house.”

“Yeah, and we are still watching you closely after what you pulled with Callie.”

“But you said I wasn’t grounded, and we apologized...many times. Please let us go. How can we earn back your trust if you don’t allow us to do anything?” 

Stef and Lena looked at one another, seeming to have a quiet debate, before Lena spoke up. “Okay, you guys can go tonight...but, we want you back by 11:00 pm, and text us when you get there and when you are on your way back.” 

“Ohh thank you thank you!” Mariana ran and hugged both her moms, dragging a laughing Callie out the door behind her to go get ready.

* * *

_The thought of camping had never crossed Callie’s mind until both moms mentioned doing it. To be fair, she had been more worried about where Jude and her would end up, and once they finally ended up with the Fosters nothing else really mattered—they have a family and were finally loved, well at least for the moment, and Callie didn’t need anything else._

_The idea though was exciting for everyone, more so for Callie and Jude who never had this experience before, so the plan was set into motion that right before the school year started the entire family would go camping for 3 days. The excitement grew within the entire house as the weeks flew by and the day finally came almost in the blink of an eye. Callie found she could barely sleep the night before, and woke up to Mariana already dressed for the day and finishing packing up her second bag; why she needed two bags was beyond Callie, but still it was shocking that Mariana of all people had been one of the first ones up._

_“Hmm...so you actually want to go camping?”_

_“Yes Callie, I do. But I’m actually more excited this time around because I have another girl to hangout with. We are going to be sharing a tent which is so much better than any other camping trips.”_

_“Why, who did you share a tent with before?”_

_“Well we would bring the bigger tent, and I had to sleep with moms, which trust me, is not something you want to do.”_

_“Oh come on, you know you love us.” Stef stood at the door leaning up against the door frame smiling. Callie laughed sitting up in bed and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “I do, but all I know is this year is going to be so much more fun with Callie and Jude.”_

_“I think that is something we both can agree on. I’m just glad everyone is up on time. We leave this house in an hour, so finish packing if you haven’t already.”_

_“Already done, both bags.” Stef eyed her 10 year old daughter carefully. “And why do you need two bags exactly?”_

_“Mommmm.” Stef held her hands up chuckling. “Okay okay. Just make sure you can carry them both because there are still other supplies to unpack from the car and carry to the campsite.”_

_“I know...wait, who is riding with you this year? If it hasn’t been talked about yet then I call riding with mama.”_

_“And I’ll try not to take offense to that.” Callie frowned wondering why Mariana was against going with Stef. “Well one of you will have to go with me so talk it out amongst yourselves and get back to mama and me.”_

_“I’ll go with you.” Callie didn’t care who she rode with. “Well okay, I guess that’s settled then. Thanks for wanting to ride with me sweets, unlike some people. Now get a move on!” Stef left to go pack the car, while Mariana looked over to Callie who was finally up and getting changed into a white tank-top with dark green shorts. “Good luck. No one enjoys riding with mom, I can’t believe you volunteered.”_

_“What’s so bad?”_

_“Well the last time we went right before you arrived, I rode with her. She shot question after question at me for the whole 2 hours, which wasn’t so bad, but we arrived before mama and everyone else meaning we had to carry a lot more stuff to the campsite. I made Jesus switch with me on our way back home.”_

_“I doubt it played out that bad.”_

_“You’ll see.” Mariana grabbed her bags and headed out of the room, leaving Callie to finish her own._

_Everything was eventually jammed into Stef’s car, and with how much was actually in there, Callie was surprised the two front seats were even still available to sit in. Stef and her set out first, agreeing with Lena Callie and she would get a head start to pick out a good site. Callie was so excited for the trip, her first camping trip in all her life, because not even her birth mom had taken Jude and her, that she found she didn’t mind having to carry a few more things than the other kids.The ride had actually been pretty silent so far with the exception of the radio blasting out some 90s songs Callie never heard before in her life. “So, are you ready for your first camping trip?”_

_“Yeah, I’m kind of excited.” Stef glanced over at her daughter who was grinning just thinking about all the stuff they planned on doing, and she had to smile at that. No one deserves this more than Callie and Jude. “What exactly do you do though when you go camping, I mean, besides sleeping in a tent and building a fire?”_

_“Well, after we set up the campsite we play a little volleyball, and then mama and I go cook dinner while you guys hang around the area. I know Mariana, Jesus, and Brandon use to play hide and seek and tag. We also cook s’mores.”_

_“What’s a s’more?”_

_“You don’t know what a s’more is?” It was hard to believe any 11 year old hasn’t had one before, camping or no camping. “No.”_

_“Oh my sweet sweet girl, you’ll definitely have a s’more before this trip is over.”_

_“So what else do you do?”_

_“We pretty much do the same things, although we may go on a hike through the trails up a mountain, which may make for some good photos for you. And of course, everyone loves to go swimming in the lake. There’s actually a rope tied up to a tree that you can swing off of. It should be fun.”_

_Hearing the mention of the body of water seemed to dampen some of the excitement Callie was feeling towards this trip. For some reason swimming had been the one activity to not have crossed her mind. It wasn’t like she didn’t plan on going swimming if everyone else did, especially since she didn’t want anyone to know she actually had a small fear of the water. It was stupid, she knows it is, considering her fear stems back to almost a toddler age. So she would suck it up, but there was a bad feeling growing in the pit of her stomach telling her things wouldn’t be so easy._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I feel like this chapter seems like a total mess, and there’s a lot of different things happening. Each one sets the path though for future storyline/plots, so I guess the mess is okay? Lol. Always love hearing feedback, good and bad. Tell me what you like so far and what you don’t; maybe where you think this story is headed. Until next update!


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